Photo: NHL.com
According to The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, the Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs are the suitors for Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson. Though, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said that he does not believe that the Maple Leafs are interested in him.
“Prior to the trade deadline, TFP’s David Pagnotta reported on NHL Network the Ducks have received inquiries about Gibson, who owns a 10-team no-trade list. Fast forward to June and word starts to get out that Gibson is open to the possibility of being dealt, though he has never requested a trade out of Anaheim and has said publicly he’d prefer to stay. Still, multiple sources have indicated he understands a move is possible and the Ducks continue to listen,” Pagnotta wrote in his top-30 offseason trade targets list.
Gibson, who will turn 29 on July 14, went 18-26-11 with a .904 save percentage, a 3.19 goals-against average, and a shutout in 56 games during the 2021-22 season. At five-on-five, he posted a .907 save percentage, a 2.94 goals-against average, a -11.93 goals-saved above average, an .834 high-danger save percentage, a 1.48 high-danger goals-against average, and a 3.11 high-danger goals-saved above average. In addition, Gibson posted an .894 save percentage on the penalty kill.
The lowest save percentage he recorded was .917 in his first four NHL seasons while the highest goals-against average he earned was 2.84 over that time. Over the past three seasons, Gibson has not finished with a save percentage higher than .904 and a goals-against average lower than 2.98 but on a team that ranks 27th in the NHL in points percentage (.457), 23rd in goals-against per game (3.15), and tied for 26th in shots-against per game (32.5).
In 378 career NHL games, all with Anaheim, Gibson, who has five seasons left on a contract that counts $6.4 million against the NHL salary cap, has gone 166-148-51 with a .915 save percentage, a 2.67 goals-against average, and 23 shutouts. He won the Jennings Award with Frederik Andersen in 2015-16, when the two combined to allow the fewest goals-against in the league.
In 26 career postseason outings, Gibson is 11-13 with a .912 save percentage, a 2.80 goals-against average, and a shutout but has not played in one since 2018. He backstopped the Ducks to a Western Conference Final appearance in 2017, where they fell to the Nashville Predators in six games.
The Capitals are in the market for a goalie after Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek both had opportunities to take the No. 1 job during the past two seasons but neither could run with it permanently. Samsonov, 24, finished 2021-22 with a 23-12-5 record, an .896 save percentage, a 3.02 goals-against average, and three shutouts after an 11-1-1 start where he posted a .916 save percentage, a 2.42 goals-against average, and three shutouts through December 9. Vanecek, 25, went 20-12-6 with a .908 save percentage, a 2.67 goals-against average (tied for 17th in NHL), and four shutouts, including a stretch where he went 11-7-4 with a .935 save percentage (third), a 1.96 goals-against average (third), and three shutouts (tied for league lead) from December 16-March 6.
Vanecek entered the postseason as the Capitals’ No. 1 in net but coughed it up after posting an .863 save percentage and a 4.21 goals-against average in the first five periods of the team’s first-round series against the Florida Panthers before Samsonov took the job again and never looked back. Samsonov posted a .912 save percentage and 2.97 goals-against average the rest of the way.
The Capitals have $23.345 million in salary cap space with right-wing Marcus Johansson (pending unrestricted free agent), center Johan Larsson (UFA), defenseman Justin Schultz (UFA), defenseman Michal Kempny (UFA), defenseman Matt Irwin (UFA), and Vanecek in addition to Samsonov (both restricted free agents) up for contract. One goalie is expected to be traded while the other will likely be paired up with a veteran to run as the team’s tandem this upcoming season.
By Harrison Brown
As a trade I will pass as the length and dollars of his contract are not worth it. He has 5 more years on a $6.4 mil yearly contract. We have several goalies who will be ready in 2-3 years. So I say go look for a UFA to sign for a 2 year deal and trade Samsonov for picks.
Are any of the goalies in our pipeline as promising as Vanacek and Samsonov were a few years ago? With Gibson, you’d be paying for a known quantity.
I understand that he is a known quantity and better than anything we have now. I dont see him signing a 2 year deal. Clay Stevenson , Gibson and Shepard should all be ready in 2 or 3 years and in maybe 3-4 years Clark should be ready and there is always Fucale. All these guys can develop quickly and all will come at a lower cost than Gibson and not destroy the opportunity to sign either an experienced D or C or even a F. This team needs to get younger and faster and have more legitamite scoring threats. Sad to say this but a lot of money issues would be solved if Backy, with his 2nd hip surgery just retired. Samsonov was and always will be a head case. The best thing for him would be a change of scenery as that might shake him p some. There was a reaso that he was available so late in the first round and the Caps like an All Day Sucker took him. As for VV the kid is good and would be a great #2 but not a #1.
People tend to ignore the effects of a solid D on G… I would like to see a big, solid D like Manson then add another G… very unlikely though… Manson’s price will be too high…
Agreethat if they are going to spend sums of money it should be for a D first and a wing or c who an put the puck in the net. Unless you can get a goalie to sign no more that a 2 years deal he will be here causigna numbers problem in 2 or 3 years.
Yes. This is the correct move. Gibson would be under contract for the remainder of the “Ovi years” thereby assuring quality goaltending throughout. Gibson has been solid for a team that has had a weak defense for years. Behind a veteran D corps, like the Caps, Gibson will put up Vasilevsky type numbers. After a year or two his cap hit will seem like a steal. Samsonov and 2 second rounders for Gibson.
Wentern on D: Calson not what he once ws, Orlov, Jensen adn TVR all are UFA next summer and Fehervarly willbe a RFA next summer. So please explaoin where this verern D corps will be coming from in 2 years? there is already 1 hole that ws going to be filled with a rookie, hopefully, however he has ahd surgery. I like ytour optimism however there is or will be little experience and way to many “OLD” slow players on the D next eyar and who knows who will be there in 2 years.
True, Carlson isn’t the same player that he once was. However, the four veteran D you mentioned will be back next year. Orlov should not be hard to sign to a 4/5 year extension as he arguably was overpaid (based purely on stats)for the majority of his contract. Jensen too should not be a problem to sign as he is underrated and only last year put up decent offensive numbers. Moreover, Fehervary will be a third year veteran player in two years. Martin may even be the Caps number 1 D, by that time. As an RFA the Caps would surely match any reasonable contract offer. Last, if Carly is traded, I’m thinking that more likely than not the Caps would certainly ask for a veteran D in return. Thus, I hear your concern,
but I believe the Caps are a long way away from needing to retool their D.
If the price is right…don’t want to sell the farm for him but of everything available via trade or FA he’s by far the most talented and at the right age to make it through his contract before declining significantly. He rides us through Ovi and into hopefully the next home grown starter by contracts end.